Chapter 57

“He’s your brother?” Sophia asks. I thought Iliana didn’t allow them to have bonds? Emree shakes her head, a soft – yet sad – smile displayed on her lips.

“Not by blood. We were the only ones of our kind, so we were trained at the same facility. They taught us never to love – to care. We hid our sibling-like bond behind cruel words and empty threats to deceive our leader. It worked-… for a short time,” Emree explains, sadly.

Iliana’s chair scrapes against the floor, maybe shocked they tricked her or angry she didn’t figure it out, “I order you to shut up! *Leave*,” Iliana hisses. I’m slightly shocked Emree listened without argument.

As a Nymph, she’s can easily dominate Iliana. It makes me wonder what she put them through as children. I don’t stop her and watch her disappear. If Iliana thinks this the end of our conversation – she is sorely mistaken.

A tense silence hangs in the air, “as far as I’m concerned, Kyro is no longer my problem. You can do with him as you please,” Iliana waves, straightening her posture and looking ahead.

“Thanks, but no one asked for your permission,” Lucifer drawls, continuing to drum his fingers over the table.

“May I just ask,” Alexander – the centaur – interferes. “Why is her fate tied to yours? There must be a reason,” I stiffen uncomfortably, shuffling slightly before realising I’m still sitting on Jaxson.

It seems as hard as he’s trying to ignore my presence, even he can’t help himself from tightening his hold around my thighs to keep me still.

“U-Um, she’s my sister,” It doesn’t take long for Alpha Dane to roar.

“What?! How is that possible!?” He spits, his accusing gaze landing on mine.

I tilt my head the slightest, “Well, you see, my mother…”

“Enough of your childish banter! I know how the process…” A low and dangerous growl rips past my lips, followed by a suffocating air of dominance.

“If you’re going to interrupt me… Alpha, you can leave…” I seethe, Alpha Dane falls to his knees and presents his neck, fearfully flickering his gaze to the door. His wolf may be submitting to me, but I can feel the human resisting.

Gerald stands tall and steps forward, “you do not need to tell me twice.” I take back my power, and Alpha Dane also rises to his feet. He walks to Gerald, and the two turn their back on me and face the exit.

“However, the second you take your first step past that door… you can say goodbye to your titles,” the two men freeze, their eyes practically bleeding with hatred as they peer into mine, “I hope I don’t need to repeat myself twice.”

“You’re just like your father,” Alpha Dane spits. I release Jaxson and rise to my full height, holding his gaze.

“If I were my Father, Alpha, I assure you, you wouldn’t be here,” I sigh, his fist clench beside him. “But then, if I were my father, would you speak to me like you are now?” I then flicked my gaze to Gerald, “both of you?”

“Your father earned our respect…”

“My father was a tyrant. He killed when he was in the mood. He abused his powers and made everyone around him feel like shit. Killed my mother, tortured me for being born. If he is the kind of leader - you want to follow. If he is the kind of leader you’ll respect, then-.... fuck off. I don’t want your loyalty, nor your respect - and you won’t have mine.”

I turn my backs to them and stand beside Sophia, “As I was saying, my mother used the eternal flame on my father and conceived triplets. From what I know, the oldest of us is dead – Freya killed her. My mother preserved me in her womb for two thousand years, waiting for Orion to choose his body. Questions?”

“Why does she want to end the world?” Alexander asks. My gaze flickers to his.

“She wants to harness the power in Eldora, open the gates of Olympus and kills the gods. She wants to be the only God,” a long beat of silence hangs over everyone.

“Is that possible?” Alexander murmurs Sophia answers.

“Yes, and she may be the only creature who can. Freya’s magic originates from the eternal flame. When she touched Valerie, it was feeding on her magic, and when I touched Valerie with my magic, it ate it. I think Freya grows stronger the more her power feeds. If she touches the eternal flame, then there is no stopping her,” Sophia explains.

“Well, it’s a good thing no one knows where this flame is beside the Qusayr,” Mirvana chuckles, speaking my thoughts. But my gaze flickers to Sophia, and she seems hesitant.

Grayson steps forward, “that isn’t true. The eternal flame is a living, breathing entity. It’s been searching for a vessel the second it flickered to life. We can feel it calling to Freya, and every second that passes - she’s closer.”

I have questions, but for the life of me, I can’t speak them. My heart missed ten beats before drumming angrily against my ribs as if I’m holding it captive. It vibrates through my ears and rings so loudly, but I can’t move.

I feel it again.

That same uncontrollable rage and bloodlust I always fought against when Nia was with me. It electrocutes my cells, and unlike before, I can’t control it. It’s like the aggression suddenly magnified by a thousand.

I want to rip all their heads off. I want to taste the metallic sweetness of their blood on my tongue. I want to feel their skin tear apart beneath my claws. I want to bathe in death and chaos.

The wall in my mind crumbles to dust, and Nia’s beady red eyes glare back at me with a sinister spark. I fall to my knees, suddenly feeling locked inside my mind.

“Valerie, are you okay…” Elias sits his hand on my shoulder, and in less than half a second, I slap his head off his shoulders, snatch his headless neck and rip into his body with my canines.

I stare at what I’m doing, unable to move - to fight.

All hell breaks loose, but it’s too late - Nia’s awakened, and she wants blood.